Brian Barkley vs. Russ Van Atta — Career Comparison

Russ Van Atta built a career as a starting pitcher and Brian Barkley as a reliever — different jobs with different demands — but on the metrics that apply to both, a comparison is still worth making. Russ Van Atta posted stronger surface numbers — ERA 5.6 and WHIP 1.693 compared to 9.82 and 2.364 for Brian Barkley. By the career numbers, Russ Van Atta had the better of this cross-role comparison — though era context would sharpen the verdict.